Brian Samuels

Dumpling Daughter

Nadia Liu Spellman, whose mother is the namesake of famed restaurant Sally Ling's, opened this modest counter-serve after a childhood spent shadowing her parents in the restaurant industry. Spellman's pillowy dumplings -- made with fillings like pan-seared pork & cabbage and Sichuan chicken -- have amassed a cult following, and though they're reason enough to come to Dumpling Kitchen, they mostly leave you wanting to explore the rest of the menu. Grandma's Beijing Meat Sauce Over Spaghetti (pictured above) is a perfect follow-up, made with a lean pork sauce, firm bean curd, bean paste, chopped cucumber, and straightforward noodles.

Dumpling Daughter

Brian Samuels

Nadia Liu Spellman, whose mother is the namesake of famed restaurant Sally Ling's, opened this modest counter-serve after a childhood spent shadowing her parents in the restaurant industry. Spellman's pillowy dumplings -- made with fillings like pan-seared pork & cabbage and Sichuan chicken -- have amassed a cult following, and though they're reason enough to come to Dumpling Kitchen, they mostly leave you wanting to explore the rest of the menu. Grandma's Beijing Meat Sauce Over Spaghetti (pictured above) is a perfect follow-up, made with a lean pork sauce, firm bean curd, bean paste, chopped cucumber, and straightforward noodles.